Maryland Route 157

Maryland Route 157
Maryland Route 157 highlighted in red
Route information
Maintained by MDSHA
Length:	4.79 mi (7.71 km)
Existed:	1991 – present
Major junctions
South end:	MD 158 in Sparrows Point
	I-695 in Sparrows Point
North end:	North Point Road in Dundalk
Location
Counties:	Baltimore
Highway system
Maryland highway system Interstate US State Scenic Byways ← MD 156 MD 158 →

Maryland Route 157 (MD 157) is a state highway in the U.S. state of Maryland. The state highway runs 4.79 miles (7.71 km) from MD 158 in Sparrows Point north to North Point Road in Dundalk. MD 157 is an L-shaped highway serves as the primary highway through Dundalk and from Dundalk to Interstate 695 (I-695). The two highways to which MD 157 is assigned, Merritt Boulevard and Peninsula Expressway, were constructed as a four-lane divided county highway in the early 1960s. In the late 1960s, Merritt Boulevard was extended as ramps to I-695 that also serve MD 151 and MD 150. MD 157 was assigned to the highway in Sparrows Point in the early 1990s and extended through Dundalk to its present northern terminus in the late 1990s.

MD 157 begins at an intersection with MD 158 (Bethlehem Boulevard) just north of the former Bethlehem Steel complex in Sparrows Point. MD 158 is used to access northbound I-695 (Baltimore Beltway). MD 157 heads north as Peninsula Expressway, a four-lane divided highway that crosses over I-695 and has a half-cloverleaf interchange with southbound I-695 in the direction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The state highway veers northwest and reduces to a four-lane undivided highway at Reservoir Road. MD 157 crosses Bear Creek on a drawbridge and expands to a four-lane divided highway that enters Dundalk. The state highway crosses over the CSX rail spur between Baltimore and Sparrows Point before reaching Merritt Boulevard. MD 157 turns northeast onto Merritt Boulevard; the roadway continues straight as Merritt Avenue toward Sollers Point Road. The state highway passes through the Dundalk communities of Stanbrook and Eastfield, through which the highway passes several shopping centers. From the intersection of Holabird Avenue and Wise Avenue north to German Hill Road, the highway has six lanes. After crossing Bread and Cheese Creek, MD 157 reaches its northern terminus at North Point Road. The roadway continues through a partial interchange with MD 151 (North Point Boulevard) and has ramps to and from MD 150 (Eastern Avenue) in the direction of Essex before merging with I-695 in the direction of Essex.